The Prepared Mind Discussion about designing human interaction.

The other day, the creative director at my company who is my counterpart on the print design side overheard a discussion between me and our digital senior art director and blurted out “You web guys have it sooooo easy!”

When we asked him why, he replied “You don’t have to spend so much time dealing with typography, kerning, widows, etc. because that stuff is not possible on the web.” Of course, our digital AD shot back “You print guys have it easier than we do because what ends up on the printed page is the same for everyone whereas we have to deal with varying monitors, fonts, browsers and bandwidth.”

Of course, being the only one of us three who has spent at least 8-9 years in the print world and then also in the interactive world (3 of those years overlapped the two worlds), I can honestly say there are unique challenges that designers in both worlds face. Having said that, I would say designers who design for the digital space have it a bit harder. Here’s why. (more…)

After openly criticizing the AIGA in both these, and other forums, as well as my blog, this past week I became a member of the AIGA.

OK, part of it was because I have not been a member of one of our industry’s major organizations and felt it was time that changed. But of course there were tons I could have chosen to join (and some I still may end up joining) but my first choice was the AIGA.

Why?

I think partly because I felt like if I really wanted to see change within the industry’s largest organization, that change may need to happen from within. I suppose another reason would be because I felt encouraged by certain changes and new initiatives happening within the AIGA that I found encouraging.

I think finally I joined because I felt that the AIGA simply must change and maybe it was time for me to put my money where my big fat mouth is and at least say that I was part of an effort to bring about that change, rather than shooting off my mouth from the sidelines.

Either way, it’s too late now. They’re stuck with me! Heaven help them!!!

.chris{}

I just read this article that was linked to from the AIGA Diversity Initiative web site, originally published in Step Inside magazine, called “White Space“. Now for most designers, the term “white space” takes on a very clear meaning, dealing with the amount and proportion of white space allocated within a design. But in this article, “white space” deals with the fact that our industry is still very lacking in diversity and that this is an unsustainable fact that threatens to marginalize our industry as the color and ethnic composition of our nation changes in the 21st century — out of proportion with the rate of change in the design field.

Thoughts?

.chris{}